


Bedtime

by rootsbeforebranches



Category: NCIS
Genre: Child, Ellick, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 04:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17257724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rootsbeforebranches/pseuds/rootsbeforebranches
Summary: Ellie and Nick's daughter doesn't want to go to bed.





	Bedtime

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for any mistakes, English is not my first language.

It was 7 pm when Nick and Ellie came into the living room to see their 5-year-old daughter still sitting on the couch in front of the TV, intently watching her favorite TV show, despite it being her bedtime already. And she still didn't even have at least her pajamas on, apparently.

Kira seemed so focused on the TV that she didn't even seem to notice her parents come into the room until Ellie spoke up.  
''Kira, it's already late. Time for you to get ready for bed.''

The little girl turned her head to look at her parents, but didn't seem to have any intention to move from her spot on the couch, where she was cozily wrapped in a blanket to keep from getting cold and was cuddled up with her favorite toy, a dog plushie that she's had since she was a baby and that therefore looked quite worn out.

Kira slowly shook her head in defiance, a pout appearing on her face as she tightened her grip on her stuffed animal and the blanket that was covering her legs.

''I don't wanna.''

Nick sighed as his eyes met Ellie's for a second before he fixated his gaze on Kira again, a stern expression on his face.

''Kira, we've talked about this. If you go to bed too late you'll just have trouble sleeping,'' Nick tried to patiently explain to his stubborn daughter for the umpteenth time.  
He'd stopped counting after the first ten times he'd had to tell her that, but Kira didn't seem to care about that.

''But my TV series isn't over yet. And you and mommy always go to sleep later too,'' the child tried to reason with her parents to convince them to let her stay up just a little longer.

Nick had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.  
That girl was too much of a smartass for her own good sometimes.  
He was convinced that Kira had to have her smarts from Ellie though, as well as her stubbornness. Though maybe she got that from both of them.

At that point, Ellie decided to insert herself into the conversation again.  
''Yes Kira, daddy and I go to sleep later than you, but that's because we are older than you and don't need as much sleep anymore,'' Ellie told her daughter, causing said girl to frown.

''But mommy...I'll miss the rest of the episode again...'' the youngest of the family of three complained in a whiny voice.  
That argument always seemed to come up whenever Kira chose to defy her parents every once in a while when she was being particularly hardheaded.

Having realized that the soft approach didn't seem to be working today to get her child to get ready for bed, Ellie figured she needed to try it the hasher way.  
''Kira, we're not going to tell you again. Go brush your teeth now or you won't be allowed to watch TV tomorrow.''

''All right...'' Kira gave up and stood up from the couch. Slouching ger shoulders, she moved toward the bathroom, obviously sulking.

Ellie and Nick shared a look and both let out a sigh at their stubborn daughter.  
Sometimes she seemed to be more hardheaded than both of them combined.  
They followed her into the bathroom but remained standing in the doorway to make sure that Kira thoroughly brushed her teeth like she was supposed to so that they would actually get clean.

In the mirror, they could see she still had a frown on her face.  
Kira was watching her parents behind her in the mirror as well while she was brushing her teeth in front of the sink, but every time her eyes met her parents' in the mirror she made sure to quickly look away.

Ellie let out a sigh and softened her expression when she saw that Kira was looking at them too through the mirror.

''Okay, how about this: If you're in bed in... let's say five minutes, your daddy and I are gonna record your episode for you so that you can watch it tomorrow. How does that sound?'' Ellie proposed.

Kira seemed to think about that for a few seconds before she answered.  
''But what about the other episodes that I'm gonna keep missing cause I have to go to bed so early...?''

Ellie rolled her eyes.  
Apparently, their daughter also seemed to have her habit to always think ahead.  
''All right, we can record them every evening from now on, as long as you go to bed when you're actually supposed to at 7 pm, deal?''

Nick shot a look at her.  
Yes, Ellie knew that she didn't have to negotiate this matter with her 5-year-old kid and maybe she actually shouldn't because she was the adult here and Kira's mother and could just be more strict like she had tried to be earlier, just a few minutes before, but come on. Who wants their child to be angry with them and to be sulking every day because of a missed TV show?!

So yes, she just ignored Nick's look, who was obviously somewhat surprised that she gave in to their daughter so quickly.  
Usually, she was the stricter one of the two.  
But, having been in a relationship with Ellie for 7 years, and married to her for 6, he knew better than to call her out on it and argue with her, so he just decided to let the matter go for now.  
Besides, it's not like didn't want Kira to stop being offended just as much as his wife did.

Kira's face immediately lit up after her mother's suggestion, but since she had the toothbrush in her mouth and was busy brushing her teeth, -hence she couldn't talk very well at that moment- the little girl just eagerly nodded her head to agree to her mom's terms, causing Ellie to slightly smile.

When the 5-year-old had finished brushing her teeth she practically ran into her room and took out her pajamas and quickly took her clothes off, throwing them onto the floor carelessly and then swiftly slipped into her pajama, wanting to be in bed in the demanded five minutes.

She was just about to get into her bed when she realized that she had left her dog plushie on the couch in the living room, so she quickly ran back there to grab it and afterward returned to her room and jumped onto her bed.

Ellie and Nick had meanwhile watched and laughed at the whole scenario, amused at their daughter's sudden hurry to get into bed after Ellie's suggestion. A stark contrast to Kira's displeasure earlier when she had been told it was time for bed.  
When the girl was finally lying in her bed, Nick went toward her and tucked her in, making sure that she was warm and cozy underneath the blanket.

Wrapped in the blankets, Kira seemed to ponder over something, obviously not sure whether to ask her parents about something or not, which her parents noticed.

''What is it, Kira?'' Ellie softly asked her daughter, who then turned to look at her parents with a shy smile on her face.

''Would you...maybe read something to me...? Just for a little while...''

When her parents shared a look at her request, thinking about it, Kira decided to add ''It helps me fall asleep.'' Maybe that would help convince them.

Well, it's not like Kira wasn't already late for bed, so a few more minutes wouldn't really make much of a difference now, both Ellie and Nick thought.  
Besides, even if reading a book to Kira made her go to sleep ten minutes or so later, it was still an appropriate time for her to go to sleep the way they see it. Her usual bedtime was just a little bit earlier.

Seeing in the face of the other that they were both thinking the same thing, they still nodded at each other to confirm that they both agreed with this.

Ellie then turned to Kira. ''Ok, ten minutes. But then you go to bed ten minutes earlier tomorrow, alright?'' When her daughter nodded, Ellie asked ''Which book do you want?''

This caused Kira to smile and eagerly pointed to the book that was laying on a shelf.

Nick went to get it and both of them sat down on her bed, Nick then opened the book and started reading.

It was a book telling the story of animals, and Nick and Ellie took turns reading, while Kira intently listened, and was really sad when her parents eventually said that the promised ten minutes were over.

Laying the book aside, Ellie and Nick each gave Kira a goodnight kiss on the cheek and then turned the bedside lamp off before they left their child's room and closed the door behind them.

They headed for the living room and sat down on the couch, cuddled up together, Ellie's head leaned on Nick's shoulder and his arm wrapped around her waist.

''You want a coffee? Or tea maybe?'' Nick softly asked her after just sitting there silently for a while.

''Yeah, but later. Just sit here with me for a little longer,'' Ellie told him, closing her eyes for a second.

Nick nodded and looked down at her face, and seeing that her eyes were closed, he chuckled lightly and kissed her on the head.

''Hey, Ellie, don't fall asleep on me now. If you're so tired, maybe you should get ready for bed as well,'' Nick proposed, but Ellie just shook her head a little.  
''No, I'm fine. I just want to close my eyes for a second, I don't plan on falling asleep...''

''Maybe I should make you that coffee now after all,'' Nick offered and then carefully stood up and went into the kitchen, while Ellie moved into a lying position, despite Nick's insistence to not fall asleep on the couch.

When he came back, he gave her a little nudge, making her open her eyes and sit up, after which she took hold of the mug he handed to her.

''Thanks.''

Nick sat down beside her again as both of them sipped their cups of coffee, until Nick broke the silence again.

''That kid...is really going to be a lot of work, don't you think? I mean, I kinda dread the time when she'll be a teenager, you know? She's stubborn enough as it is,'' Nick jokingly remarked with a little smirk on his face.

Ellie chuckled at her husband's comment, nodding her head.  
'You kinda have a point there. She can be quite a handful.''

Nick looked at her and his smile softened as he placed his arm around her again.

''Yeah...but I wouldn't want it any other way.''


End file.
